


I do

by BlackenedLight



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bi-Curiosity, Chance Meetings, Cisgender Characters, Cuddles, Dogs, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff, M/M, Minor Angst (I hope), Morning Sex, Reibert - Freeform, Smut, Troubled Past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-10-18 02:20:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10607280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackenedLight/pseuds/BlackenedLight
Summary: Reiner has everything he needs to be happy. Maybe aside someone to share it with. Bertholdt, on the other hand, has not. Is there anything they can do about it?A.k.a. "The low-drama Reibert fluff I need to get out of my system."Modern AU, main characters are about 25 years old.-----ON HIATUS





	1. Do You Even Lift?

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've only recently got myself into the fandom part of AoT, but damn, those two are killing me. I've always had a special place in my heart for characters with issues and those two (potentially three) fit just perfectly. So one day I was bored enough to try and write some AU fluff for those two, since the canon seems to disagree with me. Heavily. 
> 
> In advance, I've decided to go with a little twist on Bertholdt's personality (yep, I love that spelling of the name): while he'll still be that socially awkward reserved guy we love, he'll be that for slightly different reasons than being naturally shy and maybe have another side to him.

The huge muscular blond leant back in his office chair, folding his arms against his chest, light brown eyes, illuminated from the side by the sunlight shining on him from the window actually making them seem golden, measuring the shaved-head slim guy standing in front of him. Really, he's got annual report to work on, he's nowhere near done, and it's too early for a lunch break, but then again, Connie isn't really known for picking the right moments.

  
\- Oh, come on, Reiner, you can't just leave me alone there. Please?

  
Reiner released something between the snort and a sigh, looking up at Connie doing his best impression of a puppy face, (with next to no success) before averting his eyes to computer screen, barely managing to keep a straight face. Of all the times, Connie decided to go the gym exactly as Reiner decided to take a break for a few weeks. Punctuality at its finest.

  
Alright, he's not that shy not to admit that he's the buffest guy in their office, which is not an achievement on its own, considering the amount of work they're usually put through leaves not so much of the spare time to do sports, but the years he spent playing rugby in college and his natural bulkiness he were a good head start and he only needed to watch himself not going fat. Connie, on the other hand was remarkably skinny, which was made even more noticeable by his habit of buzz-cutting his hair, and Reiner couldn't imagine him going through all that process of eating properly, drinking protein shakes and exercising extensively.

  
-For the last time, Connie, why do you need me there, can't you just go there on your own, you're like twenty-five? There's always people who can spot you, and I'm not content with dragging my ass through the entire city after work. Why do you want to, anyway, do you have any idea what it'd take for you to bulk up?

  
Connie's face does a funny expression, finally giving up on the attempts of doing the puppy face ("Thank the Maker", Reiner quietly thinks to himself), and his gaze drops to the ground as he starts to stutter a little, mumbling instead of that ongoing always-so-cheerful-and-loud-and-a-little-obnoxious type of speech everyone who knew him used to.

  
\- Well... Uhm... I'm just... you know. The way girls from the 3rd floor look at you when you pass by. I'm kinda... jealous. Maybe if I'd look a little more like you...

  
Reiner brings a hand to his forehead, sliding it through his face, discretely trying to cover his eyeroll. He may not be the most observant person in the world, but yeah, it's kinda hard to miss the longing gazes he receives from the said girls. Most of them at least, last time he and Connie had gone there he distinctly remember one of them ogling Connie instead, who seemed to be blissfully oblivious to the fact. Maybe if he nudges him in the right direction a bit, she's kinda cute, and that accent is somehow... adorable. Before he could formulate his devious plan further though, he's interrupted by Connie leaning in through his desk, seemingly ready to do the puppy face thing all over again.

  
\- Reiner? Please?..

  
The blond wants to roll his eyes again. But there's little point in it, they both know he'll agree, everyone but maybe some native tribes from the islands in the Indian Ocean knew that if you've managed to get into Reiner's good graces whatever it is you may need help with, if you'll ask him, his big brother instinct will eventually kick in and take over. Not that anyone would try to exploit it, though, his bad side wasn't a pleasant experience to go through.

  
\- Pretty please?...  
\- Oh for fuck's sake, FINE. But I've warned you, if you expect to be twice as wide in a week, you've got another thing coming.

  
Connie's face beamed, the huge grin splitting his face, contagious enough for the sides of Reiner's lips to start twitching, as the smaller guy begins to ramble happily.

  
\- Wow, thanks Reiner, like, really, thank you, man, you're the best...  
\- Yeah, yeah, now that annual report isn't going to fall from the sky and land itself on my desk you know? Can I have some peace and quiet now?

  
As he watches Connie's back moving away from him, he still thinks he need to do something about that girl, who was leering at the clueless bastard. Sarah? No.. Sandra?.. Hm... Sasha! Yeah, that was her name... Maybe if it'll work out, he won't have to watch over Connie half of the evenings per week buried under the pile of weights, Reiner thinks while grabbing two pencils in his hands and starting to bump them against each other, slowly grinning.

 

 

<...>

 

  
  
There's something special to Reiner about jogging this late. Like the fact there's not much people to get scared at the 210 lbs muscle mass running towards them, or the city lights, illuminating the darkness shrouding the streets in the most beautiful combinations of colors (and no, he's never saying that out loud), or the simply the ability to put the headphones on and don't give a damn about everyone around him, as he passes them. Now even better since after two weeks he's not measuring up his speed to match Connie's. His plan worked out, for better or worse, as Connie walks to him this morning, smiling from ear to ear, and says he's got a date tonight, so he won't be able to train. And Reiner's willing to bet a few hundred bucks who the lucky girl might be...

  
That said, he's already got himself a 3 month club card for the gym Connie picked earlier, so he might as well just go through with training. It'd be a welcome relief, if Reiner was completely honest with himself, as he got stuck on the work this very day, it's like 10-00 pm out there. There's little that he hates more than negotiations, he may be really good with numbers, a trait that he was surprised himself with all the way from high school to college, being usually viewed as a typical meathead; but he wasn't that good with the "delicate" art of reaching a business agreement, usually involving some expensive drinks and butt-kissing. And some lady in her mid forties, with that goddamn screaming make-up, stealing suggestive glances at him every now and then. Don't get it wrong, Reiner enjoys the attention, and he's handsome enough to get a lot of it, but not when a woman that could very well be his mother is trying to strip him down with her eyes. Come to think of it, he actually starts to wonder if his boss is dragging him along on negotiations just to be an eye candy for the clients. Sure, with the amount of work he got after promotion, he doesn't really have much time to chase someone around, but... Ugh. Shaking his head, trying to chase away the thought he found particularly disgusting, Reiner breathes the sigh of relief at the sight of the building that was his destination, gradually slowing down. Well, that's it for the warm-up.

 

  
<...>

 

  
\- You're really late today, Reiner.

  
The administrator - a cute redhead girl with green eyes and freckles, is grinning at him sheepishly as he walks towards her desk, and Reiner can't help it but smile in return, struggling to remember her name, which actually embarrasses him a little. She isn't exactly his type, looking a bit too childish for his taste, invoking more brotherly feelings in him. Reiner glances over her desk, noting the name badge lying there next to her phone which reads "Hannah", and makes a mental note to try and remember the name, if he's going to visit this gym for a couple more months. Quite the impression he had made, he thinks.

  
\- Yeah, got stuck on work. Let me guess, no one else there at this time, and I'm here preventing you from closing the gym and going home?  
\- Almost. Then there's that tall broody guy that always seems to come one hour before the closing and if I wasn't living like three minutes away from here, that'd be a problem. So no, I don't mind you arriving late.

  
Reiner nodded, leaving his card on Hannah's desk and walking into the locker room. Well, at least there's someone to spot him, and he needs to get some work on his chest done. He quickly changes into the white shorts, equally white tank top and a pair of sneakers, grabs his towel and a bottle of water from his bag, shoves the rest of his stuff into the locker and walks out into the main area.

  
Reiner couldn't help but enjoy how remarkably quiet the place is, he isn't sure if he'd endure spending the rest of this quite stressful day with a bunch of people clamoring around, the only sounds present are the air conditioner noise, some techno music coming from the speakers, and the distinct sounds of punches and kicks landing on the punching bag in the corner of the gym. Reiner's eyes followed the direction sounds came from, and stopped on the person that was the source of them, noticing he never saw that guy around here before. Hannah certainly didn't exaggerate about him being tall. There wasn't too much Reiner could make out from the distance, but the guy was certainly at the very least half a head taller than him, not as broad across the shoulders, but certainly very athletic with defined arm and back muscles peeking from under his black tank top, emphasized by the thick layer of sweat, reflecting the light from his just a little bit tanned skin. He couldn't see his face, as the other man was facing away from him, but he had that rare jet black hair color, so Reiner involuntarily thought maybe the guy's Asian with his blows being that technical and precise.

  
The blond shrugged his shoulders, remembering the adjective "broody" Hannah rewarded the guy with, and decided to not bother him unless necessary, spotting the white wires or the earbuds coming out of his ears, heading towards the barbell with 180 lbs set up instead. Reiner chuckled, remembering Connie's mortified face when he called that a "warm-up" and laid down on the bench, falling into the steady tempo and doing a set of twenty. The familiar metal bar in his hands actually improved Reiner's mood a little, as there weren't a lot of things more satisfying for him than the lightness he felt after walking into the cool air of the streets after a hot shower and an extensive training session. The blond gradually lifted up more and more, until he stopped, looking at 240 lbs on his barbell and actually thinking he might need some spotting. Curiously, the tall stranger was still working on his moves, seemingly paying no attention to Reiner's presence. The latter thought it over for a minute, catching his breath, before working up a nerve to walk to the guy, mentally wondering since when he, of all people, has trouble talking to the strangers.

  
Just as Reiner was about to reach out and pat him on a shoulder, the other guy unexpectedly twisted his body, moving his weight onto his right foot and switch-kicking the bag with his left, nearly elbowing Reiner's stomach in process. Nearly - because luckily for both of them, the blond possessed an excellent reaction, stopping the taller guy's arm a few inches away from hitting his chest. The stranger hastily turned his head around and Reiner was finally able to take a good look at him. The assumption that he was Asian was entirely wrong, as he peered in a set of forest-green eyes, looking at him part-surprised, part-angry, adorned with long eyelashes he'd never expect to see on a guy (really, he rarely have seen a girl with them THIS long) and strongly defined eyebrows. The two stared at each other for a couple more seconds before Reiner realized he's still holding the taller guy's elbow and released his grip on it, motioning awkwardly for him to remove an earbud. The stranger's mouth slightly quirked upwards, while he reached out to his ear and Reiner noticed the tips of his ears turning red, which is... kinda adorable. Despite being slightly tanned, his skin tone is pretty light overall, so it's unmistakably noticeable when any part of it goes redder.

  
\- Sorry, didn't hear you coming.  
\- Yeah, I shouldn't have snuck on you like that, either. Look, I don't mean to interrupt but... can you spot me?

  
The stranger nods and walks with the blond to the bench, standing at the head, while Reiner lays down and grips the barbell, making himself more comfortable and pulling it from the peg, slowly starting to move the barbell up and down. The blond keeps him face concentrated, and tries to focus on his breathing, but he still notices the other guy is watching him intently, as well as the unusual way he spots him - the guy holds his hands with his palms facing upwards, middle and index fingers outstretched just below the barbell, synchronizing his arm movements with Reiner's and not touching the metal at all. Even as the blond struggles to lift it up one last time, the taller guy is gently pushing the barbell up with as little force as possible, still allowing Reiner to complete the exercise almost on his own.

  
Reiner sits up and reaches for a bottle of water, gulping it down and looking at his partner.

  
\- Thanks, man. Guess a bit off a little more than I can chew.

  
The other guy smiles reservedly, the expression on his face is definitely more relaxed than the look he gave the blond when he was interrupted. Why the hell Hannah thought him broody, anyway?

  
\- You'll get there.

  
Reiner decides to take a little break, and watches as the taller man walks to the punching bag, falls back into the stance and starts to work on it again. The blond doesn't really know what's got into him, but he stands up and walks to the other one, this time from the side, so he can see him coming. Reiner curiously notices that the other man didn't put an earbud back, so that saves him some awkwardness of addressing him.

  
\- That's some sharp moves you got there. Are you a fighter?

  
The taller guy seems to examine Reiner with his gaze, and for some reason the blond feels like's intruding on the territory he really shouldn't. Just as he's about to apologize and walk away, his interlocutor answers, though in a little more stern voice than he just used.

  
\- I guess you can say that. Picked up a few thing in army.

  
Oh... so he is, or was a soldier. And it isn't a pleasant experience to recall it seems. Reiner curses in his head for making the guy feel uncomfortable.

  
\- I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...  
\- It's alright, I don't mind... It's just usually people don't talk to me much.  
\- Why?

  
The tall guy kicks the bag one more time before turning fully to Reiner, who by that point wonders how something who looks like THAT doesn't go around the block followed by the army of girls.

  
\- I'm... not that good at socializing, I guess.  
\- Oh. If you want me to leave you alone, just say the word.  
\- What? No, it's not like that...

  
An awkward pause falls between them, as Reiner notices the guy avoiding looking at him directly, yet managing to steal glances every now and then, all while the tips of his ears gradually becoming redder, which is looking more adorable by the minute, the blond catches himself thinking. Finally deciding to have a mercy on a guy, Reiner lifts his hand and scratches the back of his head, as the idea forms in his mind. He came to train, right?.. Might as well try something unusual.

  
\- Say... You want to spar? I'm a bit rusty, though, so don't expect a top-class experience.

  
The other guy actually chuckles under his breath, now more openly measuring Reiner with his gaze, before looking at his face, removing the other ear bud.

  
\- I'd love to. It's been a while since anyone offered, anyway, so I'm not really a top-notch fighter either.

  
Reiner nodded, and motioned towards the mats, removing his tank top, quietly hoping they won't get too distracted to break the mirrors near it.

  
\- Oh, I'm Reiner by the way, - the blond outstretched his hand towards the taller guy, who eyes him curiously and returns the handshake, demonstrating a strong grip of his palm.  
\- Bertholdt, nice to meet you.  
\- Wow. Nice name. Any way to shorten it though?

  
Bertholdt lowered his gaze to the ground, shrugging his shoulders and supplying the same reserved smile he had a couple of minutes ago.

  
\- Thanks. Whatever you like, I'm not a picky person.

 

Reiner eyed him for a couple of moments before starting to grin.

 

\- Whatever, you say... How about "Bertl"?

 

Bertholdt raised an eyebrow at the blond, walking towards the shelf with equipment, and Reiner barely caught his cheeks turning red to match his ears before he pulled his tank top over his head.

 

\- That's a new one... But I like it... Gloves, helmets?

  
Reiner grinned, looking mighty proud of himself, measuring up his opponent. The assumption in the back of his mind that Bertholdt is goddamnn ripped proved more than correct, he actually felt a pang of jealosy towards him - guys like him barely have to work hard to burn the excess fat. The blond shook his head, and tried to put more effort on thinking about sparring than ogling Bertholdt. Or the reason for him to ogle a guy overall. They're both seem to be built quite well to handle holding a few blows, so he just pointed at the pair of mouth guards with his hand.

  
\- I'm more used to just those, but if you want to...  
\- No, I'm good.

  
The blond nodded, putting the mouthpiece on and resetting himself into combat stance, looking at Bertholdt doing the same, as they've started to circle around each other. His partner's reach is far more substantial than his, Reiner admitted to himself, so the way over it is to close the distance as soon as possible to deny him that advantage, and utilize his own in strength and stamina department. Or at least what he thought it'd be like, just and he charged towards Berthold trying to grab him, who immediately, unexpectedly gracefully for the man his height dodged his arms, backhanding the blond across the neck, and taking a step back to get further away from him, as they both knew something like that won't have much effect on Reiner. Getting a bit more comfortable, Berthold tried to land a few punches, but so far only managed to land a glancing blow to the Reiner's jaw, piercing the shield wall that are his elbows proving to be quite the challenge. He tried going for the ribs the moment Reiner ducked, covering his face, but it turned out to be a ruse on the blond's part, memorizing the kick Bertholdt used earlier and provoking him into using it, catching his leg, and pulling him in, grabbing him across the chest in an attempt to throw the brunette on his back, which ended up not in a way Reiner would expect as his own back met the floor with Bertholdt's landing right on top of his chest...

 

<...>

 

  
\- A-hem... Guys what are you doing?

  
They've been at this for good half an hour, punching, dodging, trying to pin one another, neither really getting a huge upper hand over other, too consumed in the process of back-and-forth sparring, and, truth be told, having too much fun to notice Hannah standing at the entrance with the confused expression on her, as Bertholdt was (unsuccessfully) trying to pry Reiner off him. The blond looked up awkwardly, immediately separating from his opponent, and lowering himself to sit on his knees, as Berthold turned on his stomach and buried his beet-red face (from the training, of course) in the mats. It took Reiner a few moments to sink in what an impression two half-naked sweaty guys on the floor on top of eachother without helmets or gloves give, before removing his mouthpiece and shrugging his shoulders.

  
\- Ehm... Sparring?

  
Hannah gave them wary look before pointing at the watch on the wall with her eyes, doing the shooing motion and excusing herself without saying a word more. Reiner chuckled and looked down at Bertholdt, still laying face-down.

  
\- You okay?

  
Bertholdt turned around, removing his mouthguard and raised himself on his elbows, staring at the ceiling, chest steadily going up and down. Reiner couldn't help but look with jealousy at how defined his abs look like, and quietly hoping Bertholdt won't notice. Damn, what the hell is he doing?..

  
\- Catching my breath. Should've known you'll be as tough as nails with that physique.  
\- Says you. Never thought someone with body that big could be so agile.

  
They're both chuckled and Reiner stolen a glance at Bertholdt. If anything he learned about the taller guy in the hour passed, it's that whatever he's thinking it's usually written over his face... sometimes in bright red paint. When they sparred, despite the war face Berthold wore, Reiner could clearly see he enjoys it as much as he does. Yet right now the expression was more... either absent or sad, the blond couldn't pinpoint it, and it made Reiner cringe a little on the inside. Maybe if he'd get his attention...

  
\- Bertl? I've enjoyed it. A lot.  
\- Yeah... Me too.  
\- So... Can we try that again sometime?

  
Bertholdt's eyebrows go up a little as he turns his gaze to the blond before, spotting yet again the reddening tips of his ears, Reiner yet again finding it adorable and yet again having no idea what's got into him. In his head, it almost sounds as if he's trying to hit on that guy he knows next to nothing about. Yet it'd be even more awkward to just shut up, so he decides to push a little anyway.

  
\- So?  
\- Yeah, we can, I'm basically here every other day. It's just... I'm usually only arriving this late, I understand if that's an inconvenience for you.

  
Reiner arches his eyebrow, thinking it through... Is it? He rises on his feet, and outstretches his hand to help Bertholdt go get up, not failing to notice the look of... expectance on his face. Despite his last sentence not being a question, he really wants an answer.

  
\- No, it's not a big deal. Let's go, though, before Hannah decides to grab a broom and slap us across the faces with it or something for holding her in here.

  
They chuckle in unison again as they gather up their things and leave for the locker room, Reiner quietly thinking that maybe Connie's persistence was a good thing after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to you, if you got the reference (=


	2. The Dog Did It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the big delay, yours truly seems to suck at Real Life, lol :)
> 
> You know, I've debated something a bit angsty and dramatic for them, but I thought I don't really *want* to. So, I'll try to keep it reasonable at keep it fluffy. I hope. ._.

Reiner closed his eyes and involuntarily smiled, as the hot rays of the sun, peeking out of the clouds, touched his skin, breathing in the alluring scent of the cup of espresso before him. It's kinda upsetting how quickly late autumn turned from pleasantly warm to annoyingly cold, and every time the sun had shown itself was welcome. One particular thing Reiner liked about the building that housed his office, was the cafe on the ground floor where he currently sat, equally popular amongst his co-workers, as well as the people in the neighborhood - the blond hardly remembered it empty at any point.

  
The man yawned and looked at his phone. Friday, not practically a busy one, but still. He needs some plan for the evening, unless he's just letting himself to sleep it off, it was a crazy week. And, well, since a certain tall brunette won't be around in the gym either, and he's been carefully avoiding Reiner's attempts to hang out with him outside of it. The fact, that, truth be told, really puzzles the blond. It's not like they're uncomfortable around each other, quite the opposite - Bertholdt proves to be smart (as if being handsome wasn't enough), street-smart even, which is something even more rare in Reiner's opinion, doesn't really care if the blond sometimes makes the lame jokes - to the point he's willing to laugh at some of them - and generally makes it easy, to be around himself. But the couple of times Reiner tried to invite him over for a coffee, or ask something about him personally, Bertholdt just shied away from the question, subtly changing the course of conversation. Well... he'll get around, or that's what Reiner thinks, he's not in a hurry, anyway.

  
And, well, it certainly helps that Bertholdt is a sight for sore eyes. The way how the simple clothing he likes to wear accented his physique in just about all the right places, in particular, is a good point here. The thought of having a thing for another guy has crossed Reiner's mind at one point, but even if it wasn't the case, he can't deny that the brunette is goddamn gorgeous. Especially, when he started blushing like three different shades of red from the tips of his ears all the way to the cheeks, when the blond jokingly complimented him, like he's blissfully unaware of how attractive he is. Maybe Reiner should slow down, or Bertholdt may start thinking he's hitting on him. It's not like he ever tried anything with another guy, even if he kept an open mind about it, and he isn't sure Bertholdt even swings that way, so for now he could just enjoy the brunette's pleasant company and not making this awkward...

  
...A folder lands in front of him, interrupting his train of thought and forcing him back into the reality of late-autumn day, made somewhat colder by the pair of icy blue eyes x-raying Reiner, before their owner, a short blonde girl in a business suit, pulled out the chair and sat the opposite of him.

  
"Daydreaming, Braun?"  
"Oh, come on, can't I just enjoy the sun, please?" Reiner supplied, taking a sip. "I'm on the break here."

  
Annie Leonhart, his colleague, as well as his college ex, shot him an unamused glance, before nudging a black folder towards him, taking a sip of her latte as well. Reiner stole a glance at her, grabbing a folder, chuckling at how astonishingly perfect she looked in that business suit. If anyone were to tell him back in the college, she'd wear one and look good doing it, he'd probably laugh in their faces. The mystery how did they ended up working for the same company, and even in the same building of the said company, was really beyond either of them.

  
"Here's everything you requested. If I didn't knew better, I'd say whoever you are, you killed him, and now posing as him." Annie fixed one of her hair bangs, eyeing the man. "Not that I complain, though. You're doing better job that he did. I think I'd rather keep you instead."

  
Reiner covered his mouth with his hand, suppressing the urge to laugh loud enough to attract the attention of the entire cafe.

  
"Really, Annie? A compliment? From YOU? I'm so gonna get wasted over it."  
"Is this one of your usual not-so-subtle lines, intended to invite yourself over for a beer after work?"  
"Does it work?" Reiner smirked at the girl.

  
Annie made a "bitch, please" face at him before taking another sip and checking her watch, looking like she thinks it over. The thing both of them knew, Annie doesn't have much people that come close to even being considered friends, and Reiner is the one she's usually hanging with after her work hours. He actually finds this amusing, he didn't part with any of his exes on good terms, and he expected a kick in the balls or something similar the first time they've bumped into each other at work. Yet, surprisingly, she just gave him the firm formal handshake, before walking back to her own office, and the next thing Reiner knew, she plops onto the chair at his table, just like she did five munites ago, and quietly sips her coffee. Over the next two years, they've managed to come to a lot friendlier terms they've broke up on, not that either of them expected a continuation, content with just being friends. Worked well so far, at least. The only weird thing was her using his last name instead of the first, but Reiner can live with that.

  
"Maybe next week." Annie spoke up. "I'll be out of the city for a couple of days."  
"Okay."  
"And you're watching Keene while I'm away."  
"What, again?" Reiner rolled his eyes at the mention of Annie's dog. "You know what he did to my couch pillows the last time, right?"  
"Because I told you meathead to take his chewing toy with you, and you just gone about ' _But he's a grown ass dog, why would he need that_ ' crap." The girl replied coldly. "You've brought this on yourself."  
"Alright, fine..." The blond grumbled in surrender. Here goes his Friday. "You still owe me new pillows."  
"Noted. Pick him up after work, I need to be gone by 9 PM, so don't be late."

  
Annie got up, straightening her jacket, before her lips curled in a faint semblance of the smile and he looked at Reiner, squirming in his seat under her gaze. He knew she has something else to say and it hardly will be pleasant.

  
"By the way, Braun, is there any particular reason why that shaved-head weirdo shows up with the papers on my floor that much lately? You guys haven't forgot how to use e-mails, now do you?"  
"Ehm.. Well..."  
"I don't have a problem with him and Braus cooing in the corners, but she's already getting lost in Bermuda Triangle on her way to the lunch break and back, she doesn't need more distractions during her work hours." Annie's voice acquired more threatening notes, as she moved to the last part. "So you guys better start using the damn e-mail, or I'll rip his balls off the next time I catch him sneaking around my office."  
"You're cruel, you know?"  
"Part of my charm." Annie huffed and put a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, turning to the door. "Later."

  
Reiner wondered for a minute if she would go through with that promise, ultimately settling on not tempting the fate.

  
<...>

  
Reiner grumbled, turning in his bed and staring at the magnificence, that was his bedroom ceiling. Why the goddamn insomnia HAD to strike, when he finally picked a boring Friday to get a good and undisturbed sleep, was beyond his comprehension. The blond glanced at the clock, red glowing numbers stating it's 1 AM. Too late to call anyone, his friends already fast asleep or way too wasted to keep him company. Reiner glanced into the window, pleasantly noting the clear sky and a white crescent, flowing through it. With a sigh, the blond got up, putting on his sweatpants, and headed towards the drawers. Maybe a breath of night air will help him out here. Plus, there's a 24-hour store not far away, if anything, he should go pick some groceries while he's at it. Reiner grabbed his iPod, checked through the contents of his fridge, and, as silently as possible, headed to the door.

  
Just as he was finished with his shoes, he saw something moving out of the corner of his eye. Reiner raised his head and huffed, seeing the large German shepherd standing in front of him with a leash in his jaws. Of course that furry bastard will be wide awake and up for a walk. It's not like Reiner didn't adore him, but that dog had some temper. Takes it after Annie, from the looks of things.

  
"Come on, it's just a small walk. I won't be long."

  
The dog dropped the leash, nudging it with his muzzle towards Reiner, and stared at him expectantly, tilting his head. If Keene has anything else in common with Annie, it was their goddamn stubbornness. Reiner could lock him up, since the store doesn't allow the dogs in, but he wasn't so up on leaving Keene unchecked after the last time. The blond sighed, reaching out to pet the shepherd's head, the dog leaning into the touch. Grinning, Reiner attached the leash to the collar and opened the door, grabbing a backpack with his free hand.

  
"Okay, but you'll have to behave."

  
And by saying "behave" Reiner probably didn't meant "dragging the silly human out of the door and nearly causing him to fall onto his face..."

  
<...>

  
The trip wasn't as disastrous as he thought it would be, so half an hour later, Reiner was walking back to his apartment, praying quietly the Keene won't get the idea the blond wants a run before bed. Not that he minded, though, the night was way colder than it looked like, so he decided to walk along the traffic, only taking a shortcut through the fountain square. He glanced around as he passed, all the benches near the fountain were empty, save one, occupied by a tall man staring into the distance. Reiner spared him a quick glance, before stopping in his tracks and taking a closer look. ' _No fucking way...'_ Reiner's mind summarized the picture. Reiner pulled the leash and walked towards the guy, who was seemingly too lost in his own thoughts to notice him, face painted with the anxious look that definitely didn't suit the brunette. Yep, it's him, alright.

  
"Bertholdt?"

  
The boy in question jolted, seeking the source of the disturbance, as his gaze landed on the wide smirk and a pair of brownish-golden eyes belonging to Reiner. Coincidence, his ass...

  
"Reiner." Signs of anxiety were rapidly leaving the brunette's face. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

  
Reiner nodded towards the dog, who by now stopped by his shin and was eyeing the guy as well.  
"Take a wild guess."

  
Bertholdt's lips quirked upwards and his eyes lit up, as he noticed the shepherd. "Yours?"  
"Nah, my ex's. She has to leave town and asked me to watch this furry catastrophe."

  
Reiner caught a slight change in Bertholdt's facial expression, but it was so fleeting he couldn't even pinpoint what it was. Maybe it's just too dark, and his mind is playing tricks on him. He glanced down, and yeah, it HAS TO be a trick. Keene walked a bit closer and sniffed Bertholdt's hand, and before Reiner could warn him not to do it, the brunette was chuckling and affectionately rubbing the side of the shepherd's muzzle, Reiner's eyes widening by the second.

  
"He's cute. What's the name?"

  
Reiner sighed in defeat, as he took in the picture of the brunette petting Annie's dog, the latter not only allowing him, but looking like he enjoys it. Either Annie was lying to him that Keene doesn't like outsiders (and to that, Reiner could relate), or Bertholdt could effortlessly and unconsciously charm even a goddamn dog.

  
"Keene." The blond spelled out, shaking his head and landing on a bench next to Bertholdt, still occupied with the shepherd. "How are you doing that?"  
"Doing what?" Bertholdt turned to face Reiner, raising an eyebrow.  
"The first time I've tried that he growled and almost bit me."

  
The brunette smiled, and Reiner thought he'd have to check his eyes or something. He's never seen Bertholdt smile so wide, all teeth and stuff. Something was off about him, but he sure liked this more opened and talkative version, and he made a mental note to thank Annie for the dog, if that is what it's all about.

  
"No idea, dogs love me for some reason. I always wanted one for myself, couldn't have though."  
"Why?"

  
Bertholdt's smile disappeared as quickly as it arrived, and Reiner could see the former look he associated the brunette with peeking out and gradually returning to his face. Shit. He figured the question was upsetting, but not sure why, exactly. Despite his usual reaction to the personal questions, the brunette spoke.

  
"My..." Bertholdt paused, almost like if the was looking for the right word. "...parents are not so keen on having a pet around, so to say. And my job doesn't sit well with pets anyway."

  
Reiner nodded, absorbing the information, as well as the fact that it is the first time Bertholdt actually was willing to talk about himself. No really, what?.. Then his glance dropped to an item, carefully concealed by Bertholdt's form. In a hindsight, he should've guessed.

  
"So, Bertl. I don't mean anything, by isn't it kinda cold out here, to get drunk on a street?" Reiner tried to joke.  
"I'm not drunk." The brunette's eyes narrowed.

  
Reiner raised an eyebrow, meaningfully staring at the bottle concealed by Bertholdt's upper body, then shifting his gaze towards the trash can next to him, few similarly looking containers peeking out of it, putting two and two together. Looks like the brunette has been at it for a while, and, judging from his earlier expression, it wasn't something really pleasant that caused it.

  
"Alright, I am." Bertholdt rolled his eyes, folding his arms against his chest, the voice acquiring a wary tone. "What's wrong with that?"  
"Hey, hey, nothing wrong with that, I'm just teasing." Reiner threw his hands up in the air in surrender. Boy was clearly getting defensive. "Uhm... something happened?"  
"Kinda." Bertholdt shrugged his shoulders.  
"Look, if it's something you want to get off your chest, I'm all ears."

  
"Thanks." Bertholdt said quietly, after staring Reiner down for a few seconds, bringing his hand to rest on the shepherd's nape. "It's nothing too big of a deal, just got into a heated argument with my client over... something, and, well, my parents, as usual, just added some fuel to the fire, so... I don't really want to be around either of them for a day or two."  
"Oh..." Reiner averted his eyes. "Does that happen often?"  
"From time to time..." Bertholdt stared into the distance again. "Usually I'm just renting a room, staying away while they cool off, until we're just one happy dysfunctional family again. Nothing new."

  
Reiner glanced at Bertholdt's hand, stroking the fur on Keene's nape, and a little thought had come to his mind. In a hindsight, it may sound too forward ( _'It IS too forward'_ Reiner's mind corrected him), but the brunette may be tipsy enough to not see it this way. Maybe Reiner will get the Bertholdt's mind off whatever is bothering him in the process.

  
"Look, don't take it the wrong way, but... You can stay over at my place, if you want. I won't mind some company, and it looks like you're more capable of keeping this fanged disaster in check than I am."

  
Bertholdt turned his head towards Reiner, and the blond couldn't really tell, if the brunette looked more surprised or uncomfortable. So much for not making this awkward. But he also noticed the familiar shades of red starting to tint Bertholdt's ears, visible even under the scarce lighting, as the brunette's voice dropped in volume to "barely audible".

  
"You don't have to, you know."  
"Come on. I promise I won't poison you with my cooking." Reiner raised his hand, putting his thumb and pinky together, stretching out his remaining fingers, mimicking the gesture Connie showed him the other day, and unsheathing his winning smile. "Scout's honor."

  
Bertholdt gave him a mischievous look, sending an unfinished bottle in a trash can and getting up.  
"Wrong hand."

  
_'Fuck you, Connie...'_

 

<...>

 

"If you're going to make a 'Reindeer' joke, I swear to God, I'll kick you." Reiner warned, without any heat behind it, trying to suppress the smile as Bertholdt stared at the Christmas-themed hat with a pair of impressive antlers, looking like he's thinking something evil over. Annie sure does love giving him presents like that.  
"Noted, Bae." Reiner heard brunette chuckling, unbuttoning his coat, stopping abruptly as he saw Reiner's face elongating, trying to process if Bertholdt was just flirting with him or not.  
"Oh... Sorry. I mean. Bae. The reindeer. Snow Queen?.." Bertholdt mumbled quietly, staring guiltily at the ground, his ears giving him away.

  
Reiner took a moment for a joke to sink in, bursting into laughter, then to feel himself dumb about not getting it the first time. No, really, a tipsy Bertholdt is a treasure.  
"Sorry, it was dumb." The brunette stated, scratching the back of his head.  
"Wasn't. Come on, you have to put up with my jokes all the time." Reiner answered, detaching the leash from Keene's collar, the shepherd making a beeline towards the kitchen.

  
"So, do I get spared?" Bertholdt inquired innocently, taking off his coat and turning to place it on a rack, probably referring to Reiner's earlier promise.  
"You tell me..." The blond replied, looking curiously at the holstered M1911 peeking out from under Bertholdt's belt at his right side. No, really. The guy carries a handgun around?

  
The said brunette turned to Reiner, taking in the confused expression, then putting two and two together.  
"Oh, this?.. It's... Sort of a habit to carry this around. I'm sorry if it bothers you." Bertholdt averted his eyes..  
"No, no, I mean, it's cool. Can I take a look?" Reiner scratched the tip of his nose. Just like most of the guys, he had a fascination with the guns, but it barely got out the rifle range every now and then.

  
The brunette glanced at him, looking like he's debating if he should, then smirked, pulling the handgun out and handing it over to blonde.  
"Just don't turn shoot me, please." Bertholdt added sheepishly.

  
The blond snorted, taking the weapon from Bertholdt's hands, simultaneously furrowing his brow. Before Bertholdt could react, the Reiner was gripping his palm and giving him a worried look. The brunette's hands were way too cold for his liking.

  
"How long you've been out there?" The blond inquired, putting the gun onto the drawer, his piqued interest lost altogether.  
"Uhm... a few hours?" Bertholdt said, causing Reiner to roll his eyes.  
"Fuck, Bertl, what were you thinking?" The blond swore out loud, catching both of them by surprise. Here goes his professional image. "Alright, I'm getting you a hot bath and something to warm you up, okay?"  
"I'll be fine, Reiner. You don't have to." The brunette tried to muster the protest, but Reiner's "big brother mode" was already kicking on, no stopping it now.  
"Not 'buts' here, please. Look, humor me, alright? I just want to make sure you don't wake up sneezing tomorrow because you froze your ass over, and it did nothing about it." Reiner stated firmly.

  
Bertholdt sighed in defeat, as Reiner pointed him towards one of the chairs next to the couch, darting around the apartment, turning on the water, shoving a large terry towel, a pair of his sweatpants, a t-shirt and slippers, which were way too small for Bertholdt (' _What do you mean FOURTEENTH?!'_ ) into the brunette's hands, then proceeding into the kitchen, just as the said brunette disappeared behind the bathroom door.

  
Reiner unloaded the contents of his backpack onto the table, then double-checked the cupboards and the fridge. Apple juice, lemon, wine, cinnamon, honey, cloves... Well. Someone's lucky today, the blond thought, remembering the recipe his grandfather perfected. And he should have enough time to do it. He noticed Keene, lying on the floor near the heater, raising his head as Reiner started to look for the pot, glancing at the bathroom door and then back at the blond.

  
"Oh, shut up."

  
The shepherd laid his head back down between his front paws, looking at Reiner from under the brow and replying with a short whine.

  
<...>

  
"What's that?" Bertholdt glanced at the dark red liquid in a cup before him.  
"Cyanide." Reiner chuckled, nudging the cup towards the brunette. "Come on, you'll like it, I promise."

  
Bertholdt gave him a suspicious look, then carefully took a sip of a hot drink, as Reiner admired the picture. The brunette didn't bother to put on a t-shirt, draping a large towel over his shoulders instead, and truth be told, Reiner's sweatpants were a bit too short for a tall guy. Still, looked adorable. Reiner breathed out. Not making this awkward, not making this awkward...

  
"Wow..." Bertholdt's voice brought the blond back to reality. "Really, what's that?"  
"Glühwein." Reiner replied, doing his best impression of his grandpa. He wasn't really fluent in Deutsch, after all. "A family recipe. At least when me and my siblings were deemed adult enough for it."

  
Again, a small hint of anxiety crossed Bertholdt's face, and the blond wanted to kick himself. Bringing the family up maybe wasn't the smartest decision on his part.  
"Thanks, by the way." The brunette spoke. "I really hope I'm not intruding."  
"Hey, it was my idea, remember?" Reiner smiled, pointing towards his bedroom door with his eyes. "So... The bedroom is over there, and I've got you a second comforter, just in case."

  
Bertholdt stared him down.  
"Shouldn't I take the couch?"  
"My house, my rules, Bertl." Reiner laughed, getting a reply in form of an unamused face, reminding him of Annie a bit too much. "Besides, I don't think someone as tall as you will be comfortable here, anyway."

"There's no arguing with you." Bertholdt smiled as well, yawning.  
"You got that right." The blond confirmed, feeling mighty proud of himself.


	3. Shoot Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I couldn't resist putting one particular character here, even for cameo. Just seeing them on-screen makes me smile.  
> Also, some insight into Bertholdt's past... Not necessarily a pleasant one.  
> 

_"Hoover! Cover them."_

_"Roger."_

_People tend to call the extreme focus the "tunnel vision". Nothing but you and something you wish to achieve, everything else ceasing to exist at that point. For a sniper, it's even more simpler to slip into that state. It's you, enemies you have to eliminate, all going through the crosshair on your rifle. Simple mission. Advance through the bombarded city, provide cover from the high ground to the troops._

_A shot. Body hits the dusty ground._

_War is ugly. Really ugly. Especially if you're on the front lines, mindlessly taking lives, and coping with it right after. You have to remind yourself that those are enemies. They're 'bad ones'. They had it coming, even if they didn't. That's the truth, right?_

_A shot. Another unfortunate soul joins his comrade._

_They probably have families. Loved ones. His hand is the one that shattered their lives. He'll have to bear that guilt for the rest of his life. But it's, too late to turn back, he has his orders._

_He sees a man sneaking into the half-demolished building that Berwick, his fellow sniper, is positioned in. What he doesn't see is a small device in the man's left hand, obscured by the rubble, that has a wire, connected to something under the man's armored jacket, as he pulls the trigger._

_A shot. Seconds pass. A strong explosion erupts. "Death Hand" switch, or so Magath calls those, he later remembers._

_He sees the already unsteady building crumble, the large cloud of dust rising and filling the air, as his lips part, unable to contain his despair. He knows he'll regret it, he knows he'll give his position up._

_He doesn't care anymore._

_"BERWICK!!!"_

 

<...>

 

Bertholdt's eyes shot open, closing immediately after, as he moves his hand to slide down his face, listening to his own heart beating loudly against his chest.

Again. Fucking again. He wonders, if he'll ever stop reliving this moment every now and then.

It's not unusual for Bertholdt, to wake up in whatever sick pose his body chose to twist itself over the night. So, he isn't really surprised to see the floor before his eyes, once he finally lets his arm fall from his face and it gets comfortable to see in the darkness. He does, however, notice, that the floor is not his, as he composes his thoughts. Oh, right. Reiner. He's at Reiner's place. In Reiner's bed, to be exact. Halfway sprawled over it, halfway off it, barely falling off and supported only by his abdominal muscles keeping him straight. The brunette grumbles, moving into a sitting position, and glances around the room. Now that he is at least somehow rested, he can take a look around. Neat place. Masculine, nothing too fanciful, but definitely pleasant to look at. Reiner seems to like contrasts, monochromic pattern of the walls and furniture mixed with metallic-silver accents here and there, just like his living room. The only bright spot in the quarters, barely lit by the pale moon, is the alarm clock stating it's 4:12 AM out there. Figures, sleeping patterns are hard to change for him. Bertholdt notices a pitcher of water and a glass on a nightstand and snickers. Reiner thought about him having a hangover. It's... nice. Gulping the glass of water down, he tries to put on a pair of slippers too small for him, but gives up, tip-toeing into the living room barefoot.

Reiner seems to have trouble sleeping in normal poses as well. The huge blond lays on his stomach, head barely still on a pillow, left muscular arm touching the floor, covers kicked off, exposing him to the curious gaze of the brunette. Bertholdt quietly walks towards him and crouches near the man, trying not to wake up neither the blond, nor the shepherd curled up in the large chair nearby. He just sits there, watching Reiner sleep. Creepy, yes, but it's the only time he allows himself to do so freely. Reiner's really handsome. A strong word, but neither "cute" nor "pretty" is doing the man justice. Wheat-colored hair, slightly spiking on their own in different directions due to the bedhead, broad shoulders, impressive arm and back muscles, defined just enough to not make him look like one of those narcissistic bodybuilders, that can fall in love with their own reflections, but to accent just how strong he is, the brunette knows this strength first-hand. Also, and Bertholdt mentally slaps himself for being a pervert here... his ass. The boy really can't help it, the thin black pair of boxers leaving little to the imagination for this piece of blond's body. The brunette shifts his gaze away, before his mind carries him in not-so innocent direction, and looks back at Reiner's face, way too serene in his sleep.

Bertholdt is pretty sure Reiner likes him. He noticed how the blond steals glances at him when he thinks he's not looking. Sure, he said his ex was a girl, but being bisexual is a thing, so that somehow hopeful. It's a guilty pleasure, really. Yesterday, when he accidentally run into Reiner, and the latter invited him over, Bertholdt mentally prepared for a not-so-subtle hand on a knee, palm sliding in his pants, resulting in a quick fuck, some stress relief, and being done with it. Friends-with-benefits with next to no strings, if he's lucky. But the amount of care and worry that Reiner unloaded onto him was... touching, to say the least.  He seems nice. Kind. Honest. Then again... the Hoovers looked like that as well when they've adopted him, taking the young boy away from the orphanage. See how that turned out in the end...

The brunette sighed, grabbing the sheets from the floor and throwing them over Reiner, tucking the fabric under his body. He hopes the blond is a heavy sleeper as he runs a hand down his spine.

What he's got to lose, anyway? He'll probably be around the town only for a couple more weeks. The worst Reiner could do is to say "no" and leave him alone, but he's familiar with people doing that... Bertholdt hopes it's not too bad of him to be a little selfish for once in his life.

 

**<... >**

 

 _'No alarm clock. Weird.'_ was the first thing that graced Reiner's mind, after it drifted back into the reality from the lands of Morpheus, lids still being heavy and refusing to cooperate with their owner, especially after being tortured by the bright sunlight shining through the window. Reiner stretched his arms, yelping quietly as his left hand collided with the table, that was supposed to be in his living room. The blond hazily thought back to the other day, trying to piece together how he ended up on a couch... Friday. Annie. The goddamn dog. Bertholdt?.. Right. Bertl...

Just as he pondered over the last part of his train of thought, his other senses started to come alive as well, picking up the delicious scent filling the room, and the sound of something sizzling coming from the kitchen. Wait, what?.. Grunting quietly, Reiner got up, noticing the absence of the annoying piece of fur in his favorite chair, pulling on his shorts and shuffling into the kitchen.

Alright, he could get used to the picture like that.

Bertholdt, with his back turned to the entrance, was quietly humming something under his breath, occupying Reiner's kitchen stove. Looking like he's... fuck, cooking them breakfast? If the picture wasn't cute enough by itself, he wasn't really wearing anything but Reiner's still-too-short sweatpants and an apron, exposing the perfect view of the brunette's chizzled back. If the blond didn't know him better (and he still doubted that since yesterday), he'd think Bertholdt is doing it on purpose... Kinda alien, but still welcome, especially considering he wasn't really drunk anymore, so Reiner couldn't blame it on an alcohol. Keene was also here, unusually quietly lying at the brunette's feet, paying little attention to the large blond occupying the doorway now.

Reiner leant on the frame, enjoying the cozy picture for as long as he could, before the boy's head half-turned, Bertholdt clearly taking notice of him and flipping what looked like a pancake, whilst the visible side of his mouth quirked up.

"Morning." The blond chuckled, amused, and tried not to stare too hard now that he was spotted.

"Morning. You slept well? I... took some liberties here." Bertholdt replied sheepishly, turning and gesturing around the kitchen. "Is that alright?"

"Well enough... And, you do remember, you're a guest here, right?"

"I'm used to be up early, and I still owe you at least 'thank you'." The brunette's smirk widened, now looking even more foreign, in contrast with his usual timid behavior. "So... up for some pancakes?"

"Hard to say 'no' with the smell like that." Reiner happily agreed. Something about the whole scene was so homely, he couldn't really help but smile. He's used to be the one taking care of people, his siblings, friends and exes alike, it felt... nice trying it the other way around. "Can I at least make coffee for us?"

"Nope." Bertholdt smirked mischievously, making a shooing motion. "Go take a shower, I'm almost done here."

"You sure?"

"Reiner." Bertholdt's stated in a tone so commanding, that it probably won't be taken serious by even a five-year old. "I CAN handle a coffee machine. How much sugar?"

"One spoon." The blond complied nonetheless, dissapearing into the living room.

 

**<... >**

 

Reiner took a bite, munching slowly on a delicious honey-covered dish (and here he thought he didn't like honey) and noticed Bertholdt glancing at him questionably, no doubt waiting for him to say something about the work of art that graced the plate.

"Bertl?" The blond called, a little mischievous thought forming in his head.

The boy in question raised an eyebrow, prompting Reiner to speak his mind.

"Marry me."

Three... Two... One. Reddening tips of Bertl's ears, check. Worth it.

"Kidding." Reiner laughed, taking some wicked pleasure in an alarmed expression on Bertholdt's face, making a mental note he's not looking like he's completely disgusted by the idea. Maybe there's hope yet. "But I may reconsider if you keep cooking like that, it's delicious."

The brunette's face relaxed in return, and he managed a strangled chuckle, accepting a small praise.

"Thanks. I'm severely out of practice, though."

"You said you're out of practice with hand-to-hand as well, I'm starting to think you're either asking for a compliment, or just oblivious about how good you are."

"Is this a bad thing?"

"Not at all. Speaking about hand-to-hand... If you don't mind me asking, what's the deal with the gun?"

"It's... A habit. From my job, so to say."

"Okay, now I'm pretty worried. Do you have handcuffs to go with it as well?.." The blond joked. If the boy still was in a talkative mood, it won't hurt to pry. Reiner's ears perked, trying to catch something very quiet escaping Bertholdt's lips and sounding quite a bit like _'kinky'._ He misheard, right? Definitely misheard.

"No, I'm actually..." Bertholdt's voice acquired a serious note to it. "A bodyguard."

"A WHAT?!"

The brunette gaze stiffened on a sudden exclamation, making Reiner want to punch himself. It's not like he has just confessed to working as a stripper or something. Actually... he'd look good in jockstrap, for instance. Or in a formal suit... and then in jockstrap. Shit, he really needs to stop thinking about it.

"I'm sorry, it's just... I'd never think you're a bodyguard."

"What DID you expect?" Now he sounded curious.

"Uhm..." Reiner scratched the back of his head, desperately trying to make the 'stripper' thought to go away. "Don't know, but something more peacefully-oriented."

"Yeah, well... I'd say I get that a lot but I don't..." Bertholdt chuckled without humor. "It's not all guns and blazes, not like a movie, you know. Most of the time it's a quiet job. Follow the client, help them with day-to-day activities, look out for anything potentially threatening and just look intimidating enough..."

"And shoot bad guys?"

The forlorn look flashed momentarily on the brunette's face, the lights in his green eyes flickered.

"I'm afraid it's not as black and white as that..."

Reiner nodded, not asking to elaborate further. If only the world could be that simple.

"So... Do you have any plans today?" The blond asked, taking a sip of his coffee, trying to change the uncomfortable topic.

"No, I have a few... off-days. Do you?"

"Nope, none... So, uh. Think you can show me a trick or two with the firearms as well? I mean... If you don't mind. I know a good shooting range."

"Sure. But I'd rather go to mine. It's nearby, and the owner is a good friend of our company, so we're welcome there, even on weekends. Plus..." Bertholdt chuckled, nodding at Keene. "If you bring him along, Hange will love you."

"Why? He has a thing for the dogs too?"

"She." The brunette corrected, a grin spreading across his face. "No, rather she just likes pets... Even exotic ones. I heard, she once considered adopting a crocodile, even, but her boyfriend forbade her on the grounds he won't be cleaning the bathroom up if its chomps her head off. Don't think there's anyone else, who can manage to forbid her anything."

"Okay, now I'm pretty scared."

"Don't worry. She's a good person. Her boyfriend is rather..." Bertholdt fell silent, searching for the word. "Misanthropic, but if you can handle being around me, then you're good."

Reiner nodded, finishing the last pancake, and catching the brunette's wrist as he got up and moved towards the sink.

"Hell, no. I'll wash the dishes." Reiner stated, raising his free hand before Bertholdt was able to say anything. "No arguments."

"Just wanted to help out."

"You already did. If you really want, though..." Reiner stuttered. It's not polite to ask a guest of anything, but...

"Yes?" Bertholdt inquired in an encouraging tone.

The blond sighed and nodded towards the furry disaster lying on the floor, that already seemed to be fully aware of his thoughts and looked pretty happy about it. Damn pup.

"Can you walk this monster, please?"

 

**<... >**

 

If anything else, at least there was some sun now, and the boys decided to avoid the horrors of the traffic, since the place Bertholdt talked about actually was in a basement a block away. And now that they were on the street, Reiner began to notice why, actually, Hannah thought the boy was "broody", at least when he has nothing that distracts him. Straightly poised, sharp gaze, composed, even cold, expression. Add that rather large shepherd that obediently _('How the Hell is he doing that?')_ walking in the perfect sync with the Bertholdt's calm pace, and you'll get yourself a pretty impressive image, Reiner couldn't help but notice the people side-stepping out of their way as they walked. And, well, if the blond would be honest with himself... a pretty hot one too.

They've entered a basement of one of the apartment buildings, and Reiner was actually surprised at how homely and clean it really looked. A couch, nice vintage table, dim lights and a quietly playing radio in the corner. Something like that could easily qualify for a good spot for get-together sessions with the friends on its own.

"OH. MY. GOSH!" The loud exclamation in a high-pitched voice shrieked trough the room instead of the greeting. "Hoover, you FINALLY did it?!"

They've both turned around to look at the woman (at least that was what Reiner thought, but it had more to do with the fact Bertholdt had her specified as such), walking out of what the blond figured out to be the target room. A good half an inch shorter than either of them, rather slim, messy dark brown hair styled in a ponytail, the pair of oval-shaped glasses, covering the light brown eyes. Would look pretty peaceful, if not for the frantic movements and the erratic giggle that Hange demonstrated, when she quickly crossed the room, eyes wide and never leaving the shepherd. Reiner quietly wished Keene would have the proper human features, just to see the "WTF" look on them, that was surely what the dog was thinking now.

"Would you LOOK at that!" The girl exclaimed, completely ignoring them, already crouching and grabbing the sides of the dog's head with her arms, the only thing that seemingly keept the shepherd, growling quietly, from biting her was Bertholdt's hand lying on his nape. "Aren't you a CUTIE?!"

She turned to them, now seemingly taking notice Bertholdt wasn't really alone, not counting Keene.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I got carried away." The girl chuckled, rising on her feet and extending her hand towards the blond. "Hange Zoe. Wow, look at you. Bertholdt, you have the eye for more than just dogs..."

"Reiner. Reiner Braun." The blond introduced himself, returning the handshake and glancing at the other boy, noticing the familiar tint spreading across his features. The more this day goes by, the more hopeful Reiner seems to become about the brunette, at least if he got what that crackpot girl meant right. He could still be imagining things, though.

"He's not mine, Hange." Bertholdt replied, going even deeper red. "The dog. I meant the dog."

"Stop harassing them, for God's sake." A calm, at least in a contrast to the said girl's, voice interjected, before she could retort and embarrass the boy any further. The voice belonged to the short black-haired man with a piercing gaze leaning onto the doorframe, keeping his arms folded across his chest and staring the whole scene down with the impassive expression, that reminded Reiner heavily of one of the regulars at the gym. That Japanese girl, but with a strange last name... Mikasa?

"Oh, come on, Levi, just look at that!" Hange gestured to the dog, the frantic expression returning on her face. "Don't you just want to just keep one to yourself?!"

"Yeah, lots of fur when it molts and some drooling on my furniture every now and then. I think I'll pass." The man replied, completely nonplussed, turning his eyes to the other two males in the room. "Practice, guys?"

"Yeah." Bertholdt nodded, seemingly thankful to be saved by that Levi guy, before Hange can torture them any further. "Got a friend here, he wants to learn a thing a two."

Levi's inquisitive gaze travelled to Reiner. The man stared the blond up and down, the latter thinking that despite Levi's rather small stature, he wouldn't want to meet him an a dark alley. Actually, he wouldn't want to meet Hange there as well.

"Make sure you clean up after yourself." The man finally offered, glancing between them, then walking to the couch and plopping cross-legged down on it, forcefully dragging Hange with him.

 

<...>

 

"They can be a lot to take in, but they're good people." Bertholdt said quietly, closing the door behind them and sounding almost like he's apologizing.

"Don't sweat it, I'm working with a lot of people." Reiner chuckled. "They've definitely not the strangest ones I've met."

Bertholdt huffed, gesturing at the weapons stand. They've left Keene at the lobby with Hange and Levi (on her insistence that she can handle the dog, much to the latter's dismay) and now were left alone in a large room with the multitude of targets and a pretty large arsenal of firearms. To say Reiner was impressed by it would be an understatement.

"So... Which one do you want?"

"Uhm..." Reiner glanced at the guns, while Bertholdt fetched them a pair of headphones and glasses. "How about this one? I haven't tried pistols yet."

"CZ-75" Bertholdt nodded. "Good eye."

"Well, Hange said you're the one with good eye." Reiner chuckled, prompting a soft huff from the brunette, who handed him the pistol and led them to the range. "Can we start with the basics?"

"Sure." The brunette nodded, putting the safety measures on, and handing the magazine over once Reiner done the same.

"Your stance is wrong." Bertholdt chuckled, after asking the blonde to try and take aim, walking behind him.

"Legs further apart. You're right-handed, so your left foot should be a bit further as well." The brunette instructed, lowering his voice and nudging Reiner's feet with his own. The blond tensed, but let himself be guided, surrendering to the sharp and precise movements of the other boy, who, in the meantime, placed his hands on Reiner's shoulders, slightly turning his upper body.

"Left hand over the right hand, forty-five degrees, keep your grip steady, it'll help with the recoil. Keep your index finger away from the trigger if you're not planning to shoot." Bertholdt continued, a pair of strong palms moved to cover Reiner's, who, by now, was already trying hard to pay more attention to what the brunette was saying, rather than how the sudden closeness of the boy's body, wrapping and hovering above his own, and a low tone of Bertholdt's voice were slowly turning him on. He had to wonder again, if the brunette is doing it on purpose, rather then accidently. "Now, when you pull the trigger - do it smoothly, and don't hurry for now, we're just getting started."

 _'Now THAT sounds promising'_ Reiner quietly chuckled to himself, once Bertholdt was satisfied enough and walked to his side, nodding at the target. The blond exhaled in relief, any more close contact like that and his jeans might've become too tight for his liking.

"Try it. Six shots in rapid succession."

Reiner nodded, following the instructions, six loud bangs resonating through the room. Bertholdt's eyebrows appeared above the rims of his glasses as he examined the target.

"You're sure you haven't tried it?"

"What can I say, I'm a fast learner." Reiner straightened up, and grinned at the brunette, proud of himself.

"Really?" Bertholdt huffed, walking to the weapon stand. "You want to compete then?"

The blond glanced him up and down. He knew he had little chance. Bertholdt probably knew it as well. But backing down from the challenge, especially from him didn't appeal to Reiner. Especially if he can use it to his advantage...

"Sure. Say... The loser pays for dinner?"

Bertholdt raised an eyebrow, then, to Reiner's delight, smirked slightly. If that's not the most subtle way to ask him out, the blond had no idea what is.

"You're on it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all of you who actually KNOW how to use a pistol like a pro: yeah, I know it's like the basics of basics, but going through the agony of the actual full set of instructions (like re-loading and equipment tips) seemed like too much.  
> 


	4. You're a Wizard, Harry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note to self: writing more than one fic at the same time is taxing ._.

"No, really, where did you learn to shoot like that?" Reiner wondered out loud, glancing at the bar and the door next to it, leading to the kitchen. The whole little marksman competition between him and Bertholdt, which he, of course, lost soundly, somehow waking up a bestial appetite within him.

Reiner initially thought he should've insisted on something more... luxurious, especially if he wanted to make a good impression on Bertholdt, but the way the boy's eyes lit up at the pizza parlor they've passed, especially when the fact they're serving a multitude of non-alcoholic sweet cocktails slipped off the blond's tongue, just made it clear they're not going any further, and Reiner just had to go along, being on his good guy streak. Bertholdt had a point, though, they'd have to leave the dog home if they are to go somewhere more expensive, and that'd mean the risk of the ruined furniture (damn it). At least, now they could keep an eye on the monster through the window, the blond quietly wishing Annie would be back sooner and relieve him of this 'prized possession'.

"It's nothing special. My drill sergeant said I was natural." Bertholdt replied, sipping the dark-red pomegranate cocktail in front of him trough the straw. "Plus... I HAVE been a sniper during my service. Practice makes perfect, right?"

Reiner nodded, making a mental note to inquire, if the brunette will be in a mood for it, about the "service". What he knew of the Bertholdt so far was still somehow only strengthening the feeling, that he isn't the kind of person who'd enlist willingly. He may have looked intimidating on the exterior, but he seemed to be too gentle of a person on the inside to go through with something like that.

"Damn, you really should've warned I stood no chance."

"Well..." The boy's mouth quirked up, a hint of pride in his voice. "You agreed on your own volition, remember?"

 _'I did'_ Reiner thought, offering a grin of his own. Somehow, if he gets to see Bertholdt relaxed and smiling like that, he thinks he received the better end of the bargain by losing.

"REINEEEER!" The voice exclaimed behind the blond's back, causing him to roll his eyes, as he recognized its owner. _'Oh, good grief...'_ ran through the Reiner's mind, as he half-turned in his seat to face a certain shaved-head guy who just HAD TO crush on his quality time with Bertholdt,  picking the exact moment the brunette was starting to get talkative.

"Hey, Connie. Fancy meeting you here." Reiner offered as a greetings, as his friend fully entered his field of view, trying his best to not give up his annoyance. The blond spared a quick glance at Bertholdt, spotting a small smile on his face, even though Reiner had a feeling it wasn't really genuine, but rather a polite gesture for the audience, and a possible hint that he wasn't really keen on hanging out with anyone else right now. Makes sense, especially given his personality, the blond thought, wondering to himself when did he get that good at reading him. Still... Connie being Connie, it'd be hard to get rid of the guy without using a direct approach, so Reiner's mind quickly surveyed for any possible ways to subtly get him off his tail.

"Hello, Mr. Braun!" another voice came from behind Connie, and if their table wasn't feeling crowded enough, the lean frame of Sasha Braus was certainly a step in that direction. Luckily, the girl maintained the needed level of distance and stayed further back, sharp eyes darting between the three males.

"Please, Sasha. It's Reiner, I'm barely older than you and we're not in the office." The blond chuckled lightly, correcting the girl and nodding in greeting, feeling a little offended being addressed like that, just like he always did. Reiner gestured over to the brunette, feeling the need to introduce him and not making this awkward. "Guys, this is Bertholdt, the most awesome marksman you'll lay your eyes upon on this side of the Chicago river."

The males exchanged handshakes, while Sasha offered a little wave as a greeting, Bertholdt's eartips acquiring the oh-so-familiar hue after receiving the compliment, the wary smile and a collected posture he spotted just a moment ago becoming more relaxed, reminding Reiner a little about the first time they've met. He seems to have hard time amongst the strangers, but that seems... remediable. Not now, though.

"So..." Connie asked, turning and looking around the parlor. "Should we share a table, then?"

Alright, and that was certainly a step in the wrong direction, and the upset expression, briefly flashing through Bertholdt's face, spoke that they were somehow in agreement on that topic. With no better idea in mind right now, Reiner caught a moment when Connie was still busy imitating a fan, and gave a pleading gaze to Sasha. The girl's brow furrowed for a few seconds, eyes  wandering between the two males, before she nodded and smirked, looking like she got Reiner right.

"Come on, Connie." The brown-haired blessing gave her boyfriend a small tug. "I think we're intruding."

"Intruding?" The confused expression spread across the boy's features, hazel eyes wandering between Reiner, Bertholdt and Sasha, still trying to process, to Reiner's annoyance, what did she meant, instead of just agreeing with her. Finally, spotting a wide cheeky grin, which people usually have when they're about to crack the ultimate joke, Connie added. "Uhm... It's not like you're on a date here, or anything, right?"

 _'God damn it...'_  Reiner mentally cursed. Of all the times Connie could just be dense, like he always does, he picked the worst time not to. Reiner spared a glance at Bertholdt, trying to gauge his reaction, and was surprised to find that he was looking at him with a glint of curiosity behind his eyes, rather than go nervous or defensive, like he expected him to. Connie, on the other hand, still looked like he was waiting the two of them to get it and die from laughter. Luckily, Sasha, grabbing him by the arm and dragging the boy to the free table on the opposite side of the room, spared the blond the rest of the effort to try and get rid of him. Reiner wasn't really sure if the girl had figured him out, but in case she did, he made a mental note to thank her later.

"Please forgive him, Mr. Bra... ehm... Reiner." Sasha hollered, waving her free hand. "Have a nice day."

The blond sighed, scratching the back of his head as the two left. That girl indeed was a blessing, a counterweight to a curse that is Connie. At least it seemed that the embarrassment session was over.

"Sorry about that. My colleagues. And Connie can be a lot to take."

"Where have I heard that before..." Bertholdt snickered, leaning back in his chair, following the pair settling in with his eyes, still not looking, to Reiner's surprise, like he's practically uncomfortable about Connie's earlier guess.

"You don't like them, don't you?" The blond inquired nonetheless.

"What? No, it's not like that." The brunette hastily answered, dispelling his suspicion. "They do seem like nice people, it's just that I'm not that good about making friends or something... As you've probably noticed."

Reiner managed a chuckle, hoping it didn't look like he was mocking the boy for that. There was no denying, that there WAS some adorableness in how awkward Bertholdt did get sometimes, new people or no.

"Hey, Reiner?" Bertholdt's voice dropped in volume, prompting him to look at the boy.

The blond gulped, meeting the piercing gaze of two emeralds. Bertholdt paused, stirring his drink with a straw and examining Reiner's facial expression, looking like he thinks something over.

"IS it a date?"

Reiner fell silent, both of them now seemingly gauging each other's reactions. He was somehow waiting for that question to come up since they've entered the parlor, despite trying to make it look like they're just two good friends having some quality time together, least he wanted to ruin it by making Bertholdt feel uncomfortable. And, if Reiner would be honest with himself, he'd expect himself to be the one asking, not answering, the unexpected turn of the tables catching him off-guard. He inhaled, organizing his thoughts, and taking in the brunette's expression. Bertholdt wasn't looking away, and the firm and inquisitive look was showing cracks, signs of hesitation peeking out. But... there was a hopeful glimmer in boy's eyes. He still asked first, though, and it felt like they've been dancing around each other for a while now, so... Reiner mustered his courage. Sometimes honesty is the best policy.

"If you want it to be..." Reiner answered quietly, choosing his words with great care. It was way easier to say in his head.  "Then yes. It's a date."

Bertholdt stared at him for a couple more seconds, not saying anything, frozen. The blond quietly wondered if the confession was the bad thing after all, but felt a wave of relief washing over him, as he spotted the all-too-familiar tint coloring the brunette's skin and the shy, one-hundred-percent genuine toothy smile gracing his face.

"I'd like that."

"Really?!" Reiner beamed himself . "I mean... I'm sorry, I should've told earlier it was the intention. I'm not exactly... experienced on the whole 'how to ask a guy out' topic."

"That's alright." The boy chuckled. "It's not like I'm any good at it, either."

"So... we're good, then?"

Bertholdt glanced at Sasha and Connie, too busy arguing about the menus to pay them any attention, and placed his hand over Reiner's. The blond was sure his hear skipped a beat or two.

"Of course we are."

 

<...>

 

"Oh my God, Bertl, I said I'm fine." Reiner managed to squeeze between the chuckles, not really protesting hard enough for the boy to stop getting him out of the t-shirt, and pressing his palm gently against the blond's nape, pushing him down.

"Sure you are, now sit down." Bertholdt replied, suppressing a grin himself and trying to sound convincing, rolling his eyes at the little pout Reiner gave him as the latter plopped onto the couch.

"It was just a little sprain" The blond retorted, trying and failing not to shiver as the boy's cold palms cupped his shoulder. "I've been doing chin-ups since I was in diapers, it's nothing serious."

That was an exaggeration, of course. He wasn't doing chin-ups in diapers. In fact, he was kind of chubby before puberty remedied that for him, but Reiner intended for Bertholdt not to find that out. And he, especially, wasn't proficient with one-handed ones. AND he certainly didn't get a shoulder sprain trying to impress the guy he liked, making an idiot out of himself in process, either. Fortunately, Bertholdt didn't seem to care a lot about the latter, being too busy checking if Reiner is alright and now offering him a quick massage to ease the pain up, now that they were back home.

"Sorry..." Bertholdt offered quietly, spotting a small apologetic smile, as Reiner half-turned to look at him. The brunette lowered his eyes and started go gently move his palms up and down along the injured shoulder, applying more and more pressure each time. "Be careful next time, alright?"

The blond nodded, not averting the eyes from the boy, whose palms eventually have warmed up enough on contact with his body, and now created a pleasant friction along the muscles covering the joint. What little pain he DID feel, just seemed to go away.

"Damn, man, you're a wizard." Reiner chuckled.

"Good one or bad one?" Bertholdt asked mischievously, drawing circles around the blond's shoulder with his palms.

"Not sure yet. Either one will do, though."

The brunette hummed, continuing to massage Reiner's skin. The blond released a content sigh, thinking he can really get used to that. He still has the rest of the evening to enjoy Bertholdt's company. And the whole tomorrow. Suddenly... It wasn't a lot of time.

"Hey, Bertl?"

"Yeah?.."

"You know... You don't have to leave tomorrow if you're still on bad terms with your folks." Reiner said quietly, noticing two emeralds lit up a bit in surprise. "I don't mind you're staying. Really."

"Thanks, but... I really don't want to intrude..." Bertholdt started, the smooth movements of his palm becoming sharper. It didn't take a degree in psychology to figure out he's nervous.

"You're not." Reiner quickly assured the boy. "I mean. I like your company. A lot. And I do understand everyone need some time away from their parents. Man, you should've seen mine, my mom sometimes gets so protective it hurts..."

Bertholdt's face fell, and Reiner took it as his cue to shut up and re-trace everything he said, trying to single out what has upset the boy. His inner ponderings were in vain, though, as the brunette offered the answer himself, averting his eyes.

"They aren't really my parents..."

Silence. He didn't really see that coming.

"What do you mean?" Reiner asked quietly, waiting a few second for the confession to settle in.

"I'm an orphan." Bertholdt clarified, his hands gently gliding down the length of the blond's arm the last time, before he pulled away, leaning on the back-rest of the couch. "They've adopted me when I was eleven."

"I'm sorry." The blond offered, giving himself a mental slap when he realized what he just said. "No, no, it's not what I meant!"

"It's okay, don't be..." The boy's voice acquired melancholic notes. "It's just..."

The entirety of Reiner's being screamed it wasn't probably a smart move, but seeing the distraught expression across Bertholdt's features, he decided to take a leap of faith, leaning back as well and throwing an arm around the brunette's shoulder, quietly hoping that he'd interpret the gesture as comforting, rather than suggestive. Reiner was already honest enough with himself to admit he was into the boy, but he didn't want Bertholdt to think, that his primary concern here is to provide some on-demand comfort and then get laid as a gratitude. Actually, given he had next to no experience with a guy before, the latter thought wasn't as appealing right now as it should've been.

"Hey... If you want to talk about it, I'm right here."

Bertholdt turned his head, measuring the blond up and down with his eyes, once again looking like he wants to, but he doesn't think he should. They've sat in a silence for some time, neither one looking away, Reiner patiently waiting for him to say something. Finally, the boy half-turned, facing the window, but leaning his back against Reiner's chest and tilted his own head, resting it on the blond's shoulder. Sighing contently, Bertholdt took a few moments to compose his thoughts, staring at the dark sky in a distance, before he started speaking, Reiner falling completely silent and absorbing every word he said.

"They don't exactly approve of... Me being into guys. They really, really wanted a son, but they couldn't conceive. So... They've adopted me. It was the happiest day of my life, you know? The other children at the orphanage weren't exactly... what you'd call kind. Most of them were plain dicks, now that I think about it. Well, there was a girl..." Bertholdt chuckled, glancing at the side, like he's relieving his childhood memories, a ghost of smile gracing his lips. "...she wasn't like the others. I thought she was special, you know? Our housemother used to read us fairytales when we were little, and I really liked "The Snow Queen", since she looked like one and... I'm sorry, I'm getting too sentimental here..."

"Hey." Reiner moved his shoulder a little in a gentle nudge. "It's alright. Go on."

"So... When they've brought me to their home, I was on cloud nine. Family, warmth, my own room, sweets and everything an eleven-year-old could wish for. I have gone to normal school, made friends with other kids. I mean... I know I don't look like a social butterfly right now, but I had a lot of friends back then."

Reiner smiled, trying to imagine Bertholdt being young, cheerful, not reserved like he is now. Probably having a contagious laughter and a smile. Well... the smile is still in place, at least.

"Until I realized I fell for a guy. For a wrong guy. I should've known he was a douchebag, but... He seemed so perfect, and I was still in a closet, so, him showing his interest in me... It's like my life was finally going in a right direction for once. We've dated, in secret, I wasn't ready to come out. I even think maybe I loved him." Bertholdt spat the last words, pausing and stiffening for a few moments, at least until Reiner's arm the boy was resting his head on wrapped around him. In a lowered voice, he continued his tale. "But he just wanted to stick his dick up as many asses as possible, as it turned out eventually. I mean... He was flirtatious with basically everyone he met. It was his nature, more or less, but I was so happy about being with a guy like him, that I was blind. So, I just kept quiet trying not to ruin it and pretended I didn't suspect him cheating on me until..."

He paused again, sighing. Reiner already imagined the few ways this story could end, and neither was a particularly cheerful one. The blond unconsciously tightened his arm around the boy, wishing he could stop him right now, but it seemed like Bertholdt needs to get it out. So, Reiner kept quiet and listened to the cold, dark tone that the brunette's voice turned to.

"...until one day he asked me to come by. I didn't have anything better to do, so I arrived an hour early, just in time to hear the moans coming out of the opened window of his main hall and see him dicking some guy through it. He asked me to forgive him, later. Then he threatened he'd out me. I didn't believe he'd stoop so low. I... was wrong."

Reiner felt a slight shiver shaking Bertholdt's form, and it certainly wasn't because of the cold autumn evening. He couldn't help but lean forward, resting his chin on the brunette's shoulder, their sides of their faces barely touching and gently place his free hand above the boy's, suppressing the urge to ask if the fucker got beaten to a bloody pulp for cheating on him. Of course he wasn't. Bertholdt, despite being a powerhouse of physical strength, at least as of now, still didn't seem to him like a person who'd enjoy violence. Right now, despite the intimidating presence, he looked so... vulnerable.

"My adoptive parents heard, of course, and... They weren't exactly what you'd call "understanding" about it." The boy continued, intertwining their fingers and squeezing just this side of hard. "Not that I blame them, they probably wanted grandchildren one day. And they didn't disown me or anything, but... They fell cold towards me. It was like a passive-aggressive war going on every day, like they've despised me, blamed me for all the time and effort they've put into me,  only to get their hopes crushed, but couldn't bring themselves to say it in my face. And my friends... Some understood. Most did not. I couldn't take it for long. As soon as my age allowed, I enlisted in military, the only option that I saw to escape this kind of life, to not see them every day, looking at me like I've failed them."

"That's why you wanted some time away?"

"Sort of..." Bertholdt nodded, as much as his position allowed him to. "We're avoiding speaking of it, but every now and then, it comes up... I don't feel like I belong there. I'm sorry, I should really stop whining."

"Bertl." Reiner said, turning to face the brunette, and slightly loosening his arm as the boy did the same thing. Maintaining the eye contact and gently stroking his cheek, he continued, in a firm voice, accenting that he means the words he's saying. "Everyone goes through the hardships, it's how the life works, and you're already been through a lot. I don't think there's much left in this life that can break you."

"You do?" Bertholdt sounded unsure, but there was that hopeful look in his eyes the blond came to enjoy over the last couple of hours.

"Yes." Reiner confirmed, squeezing their interlocked fingers for a good measure.

"Thank you." The corners of the brunette's mouth slightly quirked upwards. "I needed to hear that."

"Anytime." The reply was barely more than a whisper, but it did get his point across. They fell in comfortable silence, just looking at each other, both being aware what the people ending up like this usually are about to do... and being fine with that.

The last inches separating them dispersed, as Reiner felt the boy's lips ghosting over his, both of them closing their eyes and giving in to the sensation. His movements were tender. Unsure. As if he was asking for permission. The permission that Bertholdt was granted, when the blond sent his doubts about it down to Hell, and responded to the caress, softly nipping the boy's lower lip and moving his arm to the back of Bertholdt's head, inviting him to go further, the gentle touches becoming more and more passionate, each time one of them moved. The brunette turned fully, grasping the side of Reiner's face to keep him still, while his other hand's light-feather touches ran down the blond's spine, leaving a trail of shivers in their wake. Reiner moaned quietly, thinking that the boy tasted better than he imagined it and feeling Bertholdt's lips curling in a smirk against his. The blond dived lower, caressing the soft skin of brunette's neck, returning the favor, noting with a glint of satisfaction how the boy's spine arched, crowding the blond even further, hearing a gasp escaping Bertholdt's lips. They've explored each other's bodies for some time, until Reiner's body stiffened, feeling the brunette's hand resting on his lower back sliding under the waistband of his underwear. He probably knew where it was going, but... somehow he didn't want to do it just now. He wants to do it properly. Perfectly. Apparently though, his hesitation didn't go unnoticed by Bertholdt, as he snapped out of his daze immediately, removing his hand and trying to get away, the worried tone creeping back into his voice. Reiner, however, still held him close as the boy tried to apologize.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..." He stuttered, searching for the right word and failing. "...you know."

"It's not what you think. I just... It's all new to me. With a guy, I mean. So..." Reiner ran a finger along Bertholdt's jawline, smiling softly. "Maybe if we can... take it slow? If you don't mind. I don't want to rush it with you."

"I don't mind." The boy nodded, looking both stunned and pleased at the same time by the confession, but his eyes were still warm.

Just as Bertholdt was about to turn around and move back into the comfortable position of him leaning against the blond's chest he was occupying a few minutes ago, Reiner yanked him back, earning himself a surprised yelp from the brunette. With a cheeky grin, the blond lowered himself to lay on the couch, dragging the boy with him, chuckling between the words.

"...But that doesn't mean that we need to stop making out, I'll have you know."

"Hmm..." Bertholdt smirked mischievously, shifting his weight onto his elbows and re-establishing the eye contact with Reiner. "I think we can handle it..."


	5. Savor the Flavor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's that awkward moment when two young, healthy, horny guys with a thing for each other wake up in a same bed...  
> Rating change, folks, something explicit right here. Not (completely) plotless, but... Screw it, I've warned you.  
> 

Oh... so THIS is what Bertholdt meant, when he adorably blushed and said _'I tend to crowd the other people when I sleep'_ , and Reiner just laughed it off, saying his bed is big enough anyway, and it's been way too long since he fell asleep amidst cuddling session. Cuddling and making out session.

Reiner hazily opened his eyes to stare at Bertholdt, sprawled over him, still miraculously turning his face towards the blond, the lower lip childishly stuck out, forcing the smile on the latter's face. He's really cute when he is asleep. Reiner almost regrets waking him up, but having a good one and a half hundred pounds, probably more, lying on you for however long it was, is a little controversial experience. Also... Reiner slightly moved his right leg, placed exactly in between Bertholdt's to double-check his suspicion. Well, someone has a "morning boner" problem...

Reiner's lips curled in a smirk. What if...

"Bertl."

The brunette slightly shifted on top of him, but that was it. Reiner couldn't help but smile, remembering Gabi, his little cousin, doing exactly this expression when she doesn't want to get up.

"Hey, Bertl. Wake up."

The boy sleepily cracked one forest-green eye open and looked at him.

"Is it morning already?"

"Kinda." Reiner chuckled in response, finally settling on a devious thought. He slightly twitched his leg again, just enough to gently stroke Bertholdt's length with his thigh, and watching the brunette's facial expression closely. "Morning, sunshine. Uhm... Do you mind?"

For a couple of seconds, Bertholdt looked confused. Then more like the realization began to settle in his head. Finally, the brunette's face gone red, like all the blood he had down there instantly rushed back to his head. Well... almost instantly, the bulge in the boy's underwear hardly shrinking from what Reiner could feel.  Bashfully, Bertholdt shifted his position, so that only his upper torso was resting on top of the blond. Reiner sank back in the pillow and started laughing. He really CAN'T get enough of this.

"Sorry." The blond finally managed, catching an adorably annoyed expression on Bertholdt's face. "I couldn't resist."

The brunette stared him down for a couple more moments, trying to keep the straight face, but the corners of his mouth were quirking up against his will.  

"Proud of yourself, aren't you?"

"A little." Reiner lied. _'A lot'_ his mind corrected him.

Bertholdt made sure to roll his eyes at the blond, before shutting them and burying his face in the latter's chest.

 

"How early is that?" The brunette's voice was muffled a little by Reiner's pectorals.

"Hm..." The blond's eyes wandered to the alarm clock. "Nine AM?"

"Oversleeping..."

"Oversleeping at NINE?" The blond looked at the boy in surprise.

"Yes, well..." Bertholdt shifted, planting his chin onto Reiner's abs and returning the gaze. A little painful, he does have a really sharp chin. Not that Reiner particularly minded. "Five years in the army and a couple more as a bodyguard. You can't really get enough sleep. Entire life... seems like it's on the regulations. Never have a time to just..." Bertholdt stretched, just a little bit like a cat. "...savor the moment."

"It's Sunday you know." The blond reminded. "I don't have to be anywhere."

"So... Can we just... stay like this a little more?" The brunette sounded hopeful. Did he really has that little time to himself?

"Someone is a lazy ass..." Reiner joked, gently stroking the side of Bertholdt's face.

"Say that again and I'll..." Bertholdt replied with a playful smack on the blond's hand.

"You what?"

The brunette measured up Reiner with his eyes, the latter being able to practically see the gears in his head turning. The blond could see the mischievous fires dancing in Bertholdt's green eyes, more and more apparent as he started to smirk. The boy's hand rapidly shot down the side of Reiner's upper body, causing him to giggle and twitch a little....

Bertholdt's smirk just went wider.

"BERTL, NO!" Reiner tried to protest so hard that even a child wouldn't think it was genuine, but Bertholdt's massive height beguiled his speed, which seemed not to be dimished a bit by him just waking up. Before he knew it, the brunette was straddling him and running his fingers down his ribs, causing the blond to squirm and bite back the chuckles.

"BERTL, YES!" The boy laughed in return, the remnants of his sleep just rushing away from his face, catching one of Reiner's hands and pinning him to the bed with his own weight, continuing with a gentle torture and thwarting blond's attempts to wiggle out from under him.

"Jesus, stop!" The blond managed in-between gasps and giggles after another unsuccesful attempt to throw Bertholdt off him. Damn, was he holding back in the gym?

"Are you really trying to beat a guy who grew up with a bunch of the other kids in roughhousing?" The boy teased.

"Well... I have... A trick... Then..." Reiner finally freed one of his hands and pushed Bertholdt further into him, clasping his lips onto the skin of the brunette's neck. Almost immediately, the boy froze, and moaned softly, making the blond mighty proud of himself about the quick thinking. He never dated anyone who couldn't resist it, as the boy right here wasn't an exception, it seems. As Bertholdt's grasp on his other arm weakened, Reiner moved it onto the small of the brunette's back and tightened the embrace, steadying him, and giving himself more freedom to caress the soft skin, to enjoy the delicious gasps and the arcing of Bertholdt's spine, and spreading his thighs slightly for the brunette to slide in, establishing maximum skin-on-skin contact. Absent-mindedly, he felt himself getting turned on hard, especially with the said movements of the brunette's body made him basically grind his own erection against Reiner's, only the thin underwear separating the two, and even that has grown painfully tight.

"That's cheating, you know." Bertholdt muttered into Reiner's ear.

"You started playing dirty."

"I haven't started... yet." The seductiveness in the boy's tone became so apparent, that Reiner started to question if he's really that afraid of trying anything... like... right now. Something about him was weirdly turning Reiner on.

 

"Bertl?"

"Hmm?.."

Reiner slowly nipped the brunette's ear shell between his lips, thinking over if he's going to regret asking, hearing a slight pant breathed into his own neck. But he knows for a fact the boy won't push him into anything Reiner wouldn't want himself... So the first step is likely his to make.

"Look at me."

Bertholdt slowly, playfully lifted himself up on his elbows, looking down on the blond.

"Uhm... I know I said this before... and I know I said I wanted to take it a bit slow, but..." Reiner began to feel embarrassed, but his arousal was making a quick work of it. He moved his hands down the sides of Bertholdt's upper body until he reached the boy's waist. Holding him in place, Reiner arched his own back, making them grind against each other again. Returning the gaze, the blond shyly asked.  "Do you mind?"

The brunette raised an eyebrow, inviting him to elaborate.

"You're not making me spell it out, do you?" The blond rolled his eyes. He thought it's pretty obvious.

Reiner could see the slight hesitation flashing through Bertholdt's eyes, the green irises, slowly, but surely getting covered by the dilated pupils.

"What if I want to?.." The boy asked quietly, but firmly.

"Despicable you..." Reiner sighed, moving his hands up, clasping them on Bertholdt's nape again, and pulling him down. The quick reflexes allowed the boy to shift his weight from the palms to his forearms, his face hovering inches away from the blond's. The tender, but a bit-late, "good morning" kiss was actually a lot better that Reiner imagined it would be. Bertholdt tasted as good as he was yesterday, and, wierdly, no trace of morning breath was to be found. Reiner mentally cursed, thinking he might be the one having it, but the brunette didn't look like he was protesting, even if he did. So instead, the blond just enjoyed the sweet taste of soft lips, slowly mustering the courage. Finally doing so, Reiner broke the kiss, looking into the two emeralds, drowning in blackness. He wanted to hear the Bertholdt moan and whiter in pleasure. But he, obviously, is a guy, so, the most sure way to do it... Reiner silenced the voice in his head telling him that this was a bad idea.

"Can I suck you?"

Bertholdt's eyes widened in surprise. 

"Really? I mean, you don't have to..." The boy stuttered, probably expecting the question to be the other way around. Or something else completely. In a hindsight, that might've been the right step and Reiner really has no idea, what devil pulled his leg to ask THAT. Too late to bail now, though...

"Bertl..." Reiner's tone was firm, though he was little stunned by the satisfied expression on Bertholdt's face that came a few moments after that, the devious grin splitting it in two.

"Well, if you're asking so nicely..." The brunette replied, teasingly.

"Don't make this awkward, please..." Reiner groaned, mentally not believing he has just asked if he can blow the guy. And he is about to, in fact.

"Sorry." Bertholdt flashed a smile, genuine, but all the same predatory. He wasn't really sorry.

"You'll have to help me, though..." The blond was pretty sure, that his face was as red as Bertholdt's was, when he pulled that little joke a few minutes ago. "I've never done this before, I'll have you know."

"Alright... For starters..." Bertholdt nodded and grinned, sinking back, tackling Reiner into the bed with his weight again, one hand making its way to the blond's forehead and forcefully turning his head to the side. Reiner gulped nervously, watching as the brunette, maintaining the eye contact, brushed his lips against the length of the exposed neck, the short stubble that appeared on Bertholdt's face in those two nights, following the smooth motion closely behind, tickling him. Unable to restrain himself, Reiner gasped, which was answered with barely audible chuckle on the brunette's part. "Let's get you a little more turned on first..."

Bertholdt's lips, moving up in the direction of Reiner's jaw, stopped. The brunette inhaled the scent of his skin and started to move backwards, planting painfully slow, demanding kisses on his neck, making it hard for Reiner to contain the gasps. The blond preferred to be the one giving that, being in control, hearing his partner squirm, gasp and moan under his lips and arms, and knowing he's the cause of such behavior. Now that he was on the recieving end of it... He thought, he understood what exactly is so mind-blowing about it.

"Gosh, and here I thought you were a shy white lily..." Reiner managed between the gasps, biting his lip. He was still a little shy about moaning aloud each time Bertholdt's lips caressed his skin. Looks like the neck was his weak spot, too.

"Can you blame me?" The brunette chuckled, leaning backwards and looking down at Reiner as he stretched, returning his palms to push against the blond's impressive pectorals. "I mean, look at you. I bet no gay guy can even look at you without getting dirty some thoughts in his head..."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Reiner assured, actually feeling a bit flattered. He knew some girls didn't find his bulky build appealing. But the blond did find some guys, in his previous gym, staring at him amusing. Absent-mindedly, he noticed the brunette moving a bit closer, still straddling him and making no move to get off. Reiner finally figured what he wants to do when Bertholdt bent forwards, pinning the blond's hands to the bed with his own. What do you know, Bertholdt seems to like being in control, too... In the bed, at least.

"So..." Reiner asked sheepishly. "No gentle giant part?"

"Oh." The guilt instantly flashed through the brunette's eyes, fingers quickly letting go of the blond's arms. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd like... Nevermind."

Reiner clasped his fingers on the boy's wrist, and looked up at Bertholdt' towering above him. That'd be a right word. The blond's eyes slid down the length of the defined pectorals, sculptured abs, a small trail of hair, making its way under the waistband of the black boxer briefs. The bulge in the said briefs, Bertholdt didn't look like he was particularly small down there. Far from it, actually. He knew for sure, he'd enjoy a sensitive, gentle, contact with the girl... But the brunette was just instilling something in him, asking for a bit rougher treatment. Like being maybe a little forced into it... Not completely, Bertholdt is conscious enough to not cross that line, he's sure of that. Unless Reiner asks him to. But still... If he's going to suck a guy off, why not try it with some new flavor to it as well?..

Somehow, just thinking about it was turning him on. Self-consciousness, eh?

To Hell with that.

"You know what, Bertl..." Reiner's lips curled in a devious grin, mirroring the brunette's expression from a minute ago, and he ran his free hand upwards the boy's abs, pushing with just enough strength to create the pleasant tension between his fingertips and defined muscles. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, or he did heard a really, really quiet groan from the boy. Sliding his hand down and getting his thumbs under the waistband of Bertholdt's boxers, Reiner continued. "I think I WOULD..."

 

For a few moments, the confused expression remained on the brunette's face, like he was still comprehending the answer.  But then, Bertholdt smirked, pinning Reiner's upper arms to the bed with his knees, but moving close enough that the blond could still keep his thumb under the waistband of his underwear.

"I knew it." Bertholdt whispered mischievously. "Knew you were kinky..."

"Your damn influence."

"Is it?" The brunette smiled seductively, glancing upwards like he's trying to remember something. "If you want to, I'm sure I can fetch some handcuffs from the work next time..."

"Jesus Christ, Bertl, stop teasing..." Reiner stared at the cloth-covered bulge before him. He quickly recalled every instance of himself getting a blowjob. Still bewildered by the amount of things he remembered, and, actually, WANTED to try on the brunette hovering above him, Reiner reached out his hand and slid another thumb under the waistband, the other fingers caressing the soft skin of Bertholdt's sides. Looking up at the aroused boy, the blond nudged him a little, silently asking to move further in. When he did, Reiner flipped a bird to his consciousness one last time, and leant in, as much as the pinned position allowed him to, to run his opened mouth along the still cloth-covered length.

Bertholdt moaned pleasantly, throwing the wrench in the already malfunctioning mechanism of Reiner's self-control. The blond's thumbs slid down, revealing a really impressive uncut eight-inch dick, a drop pre-cum glistering on the tip. Licking his lips, Reiner flicked his tongue over the slit, consuming it, and taking the head into his mouth, pushing down the foreskin with it and hearing another groan coming from up where Bertholdt was. One of the brunette's hands dug into the wheat-colored hair, while the other landed on the blond's abs, mimicking Reiner's earlier pushing move, but downwards, getting into his underwear and clasping over his own dick. Muffled by the flesh his tongue was playing with in his mouth, Reiner still groaned at the sensation and moved down the length of Bertholdt's cock, the boy's fingers gently massaging his scalp, instantly switching to the needy pushing motion, as the blond started moving. The boy's finger tips resting on his head curled, but not for pulling his hair, but rather maintaining the hold, and making sure he won't go too far. It was oddly cute, despite the situation. Trying his best, Reiner still succumbed to the slow push, relocating his hands on the brunette's hips to make him stop in case it'll be too hard, and tried to take his full length.

"Easy..." Bertholdt half-whispered, half-moaned, pulling away as the blond started choking. Eight inches was probably beyond Reiner's capabilities yet.

Taking an advice, Reiner nodded, and sealed his lips around the huge dick, starting moving back and forth, synchronizing himself with the deft movements of brunette's hands, both in his hair and on his own dick. The blond stole a glance upwards at his partner, seeing Bertholdt tilting his head backwards, eyes closed, exposing his throat and steadily moaning, but just this side of loud to not make it sound like unnatural ones in the porn movies. His were much, much, hotter. Reiner quietly wished they were in other position, so that he can reach out and caress the skin of the boy's neck, before returning to sucking him off. With Bertholdt stroking him and showing the obvious signs of pleasure, the blond didn't really mind his current activity anymore. If anything, he was now feeling competitive, wanting to see if he can extract even more of those delicious sound from the brunette, so the next thing he tried was hollowing the cheeks and a louder groan was the sign that he scored a bullseye.

"You keep doing this..." Bertholdt managed to say in-between moaning. "...and I'm not going to last."

Reiner did have a presence of mind to pull back, running his lips along the length before asking, mischievously.

"Is this bad?"

"No... Just... So good... Don't want this to end."

The blond playfully twirled his tongue around the head, feeling the boy slightly shiver.

"Don't worry... Not going anywhere."

Bertholdt looked down, a devilish flames dancing in his eyes, and flashed another one of his predatory smiles, this time sliding his lower lip between his teeth for a good measure. Reiner just stopped and watched him, hypnotized, muttering one word.

"Alright."

Taking his cue, the blond smirked, sinking back, taking the hot flesh in his mouth again, but this time... He looked up, catching Bertholdt's gaze, and slightly, but invitingly nudged him forward with his palms, giving the boy a pass to take charge. With a small, appreciative gasp, the brunette began rocking his hips back and forth in a steady tempo he'd like himself, Reiner tightening his lips around his cock and trying to meet the thrusts with the flicks of his tongue, making Bertholdt moan loud enough, that his neighbors, if they weren't asleep were now probably aware of what's going on in the blond's bedroom right now. Not that he cared at the moment, instead rabidly starting to push against the boy's movements and digging his fingers into the skin of his ass. Making a mental note of how good it felt, and then he wouldn't mind feeling him up some more. Later. Because not a minute passed, as Bertholdt suddenly pulled away, replacing his knees, that were restricting Reiner's movements, with his hands and plummeting down full-weight on him, catching his lips in a searing kiss. The blond's upper arms clasped in a lock on the boy's neck and pushed him further in. In delight, Reiner heard Bertholdt groaning into his mouth, as his body shook and the brunette came all over their chests.

 

The hungry kiss lasted for a few minutes before they've finally parted for air, the brunette's resting his head face-down next to Reiner's, the sides of their faces touching, both panting heavily. If the blond was to be honest with himself, he felt proud he could get those reactions from the boy. He really wouldn't mind doing it again... Probably more than once.

"We need to wash ourselves..." The blond murmured in Bertholdt's ear. Despite him being satisfied with the result, their chests, still pushing against each other, were uncomfortably sticky.

"Yeah... But..." Bertholdt's palm slid down the length to the blond's arm it was resting on, all the way to Reiner's own dick, still hard. Stamina was always the blond's strong point, in more ways than one. The brunette squeezed, pleasantly smirking when Reiner couldn't hold back a small yelp. "I think I need to return the favor."

"Can you do this when we're not clammy?" The blond asked, making sure he sounded playful. He'd really like the 'returned favor' the boy was suggesting.

Bertholdt raised his head to look, cocking his eyebrow and glancing upwards, thinking about something. Reiner couldn't help but mentally chuckle on how impish the boy looks when he's horny. Something he couldn't really imagine back when they first met.

"If I recall correctly, your tub is big enough for both of us, right?" The brunette asked mischievously.

Reiner's lips curled in a grin, figuring out what the boy is suggesting.

"Right."

"Then... You don't mind me getting up close and personal with you there? From my height, there's hard to make out all the details, you know." Bertholdt raised himself on one elbow, playfully running a finger along the blond's jaw line. He still looked hungry enough, much to Reiner's pleasure, and his hand, still in the blond's underwear never stopped gently stroking him. "I want to take a good look."  His palm slid down the side of Reiner's hip to cup his ass. "Everywhere."

"Gosh, I'd never think you're this needy." The blond laughed, reaching up and lightly biting

"Try to be less perfect and I'll think about not placing my hands all over you all the time." Bertholdt gave him another a playful smack on the ass to make his 'point', clearly wanting to stroke more than just Reiner's ego right now.

The blond's mind, despite being lust-clouded, was quick to find a fitting answer.

"Well, if you're asking so nicely..." Reiner retorted, managing to yank them both in a sitting position, and sliding his hands under Bertholdt's hips, as the boy chuckled at his own line. Managing to hold him upright, the blond slowly, but steadily, made his way to the bathroom, wondering quietly, how did he got so bold with another guy in such a short time, but not really caring about it. Again.

 _'Worth it.'_ The voice in his head finally gave up and agreed with Reiner.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, the chapter title is not about what you might have thought, reading the beginning notes. You have really, really dirty minds if you did. :P

**Author's Note:**

> Love hearing from you guys, criticism, suggestions and reviews are welcome. I've figured a general idea where this is going to go, but the detours is always a thing to consider.


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